Gas outlet for use in prisons and other places



March 26, 1935.

R. 1.. CLARK 1,995,962

GAS OUTLET FOR USE IN PRISONS AND OTHER PLACES Filed Oct. 17, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 flaymand L (ark March 26, 1935. R, CLARK 1,995,962

GAS OUTLET FOR USE IN PRIS'ONS AND OTHER PLACES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 1'7, 1933 '1 Patented Mar. 26 1935 1 "UNITED: STATES ArmoriteEquipment lncorporatedr'ltochesten.

N. Y.,Ea corporation ofNe'W-York v App ication October-"17,1933, s riarn rtsaoos 4 olaimsi iol 2994144); f

The invention relates to argas outlet for use in prisons and other places liable to riot.

- The object of the present invention is topr ovide a. simple; practical and comparatively inexpensive gas outletof sturdy construction designed for "user in prisons and other places where riots are likely .to. occur, and adapted to, be se,- curely anchored in a:floor and normally prev senting a closed exteriorsoyas to be completely inaccessible to unauthorized persons andcapable of remote operation to expose, successively an auxiliary and a'main gas outlet for discharging and'diffusingagas or ammonia and capable of renderinghelpless persons surrounding the outlet so that a riot or similar unauthorized-disturbance may be easily and quickly quelled without seriousiinjury to the participants or any in-. jury to attendants.

A further object of-the invention is"to provide a gas outlet of thislcharacter which when operated to expose'the auxiliary and main: gas out: letswill effectually: prevent prisoners or other persons in the vicinity of the; gas outlet-from interfering with its operation; 1 v

A further object of the invention is to, enable the atmosphere offthe room or other place-in which. the: gas; outlet 'is installe'd'to' be readily cleared'of the gas after a riotor disturbance has beensubdued and it is desired to restore the room to a condition in which attendants or other persons in charge may safely enter the room, for removing andrestoring persons-overcome by the gas and'other purposes. a i

A further object of the inventionristo provide a gas outlet device equipped with an -in-.- teriorly arranged :mixing chamber and provided with means for introducing both airzand gas 'into the same and for producing a thorough mixture thereof prior to the discharge of the'gas v frcmwthexoutlet so that a suflicient, amount of air may be suppliedto carry the :gas andto insure an as extensive "diffusion of *the gases 'desired. 7, cm, v

With these. and otherxobjectsin (View; .theinfventlon consistsiiin the constructionrand: novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter" fully: described, illustrated r in theaccompanying drawings and pointed outin the claims hereto appended, it-"being understood .;that various changes in the form, proportion andzminor "details'of construction, within the scope of. the c'laims, may be resortedto' withoutdeparting from the sp'irit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the'inve'ntion. I y In the drawin'gs'z-w Figure 1- is a diagrammatic-viewers plurality Y 1,995,96 a T GAS OUTLETFOR si: 1N PaisoNsANn i 1 OTHER lemons; v f a Raymond L. Clark, Rochester; N. 'Y., assigno'r ton a ofgasoutletsand. means for supplyingTlfluid v pressure for opening the voutlets and for discharg; ing gas a-nd air. through the outlets and'fo'r also discharging ammonia toneut'r'alize, the gas, 1 Fig. 2is a-longitudinal sectional' view of one of; the"gasjioutlets, showing the, sam open v Fig. 3- is asimilar viewiipartly. in eleva o gas outlet being closed. Fig, 4 is aplanview of theflgas outlet, thet parts being arranged as illustratedjin Figl Fig. 5 is' a horizontal 5 5 of-Eig 2,, v

. U -.l?, ig. 6 is a. horizontal sectional view, on thel ne fi 6.v: f1ig.,2.'v f

g 1 Fig! 7 is.a horizontal-sectional iew an; the iiii I. r A In theaccompanying. drawings, in which illustrated the preferred embodiment of t h 1 vention the] gas outlet devicecomprise's in'it struct-ion 'a vertical cylindrical housing. 1 0 be??? sectional view-on, the. line the 1 cast metal designed-toibesecurelyanchoiid. na-

riots or -ot her unauthori-z'ed; disturbances Tare v n m ,to occur. wm emne gas, outlet ticularly advantageous ,for use in, prisons f controlling convicts, it will hefifou'nd advantageous for various other "places; where'. unauthjorized gatherings-of personsv are likely tqoccur and w ere it may become necessary to disperse such"gathers ings. :The cylindrical housingewhichisjopen al the top andclosed'atthe lower end2 is j proyided at its upper 'end' with an annular enlargement 3 provided'inits upper face withvan annular re'-. cess rl forming a seat for a-mar'ginn horizont let member- 6 telescoping 'cwithin'f the, cylindrical disposed gas. diffusing flange 5 of agmainigas but; t.

housing and conforming tothe configuration of thesarne and guided by the outer portion offthe housing lwhich formsaclosed guide forthe main telescoping gas-outlet member; 6. The xupper I is, flush with the floor, the marginal horizontal flange 5' which formsan extension of a, top 'wall I 7* of the said. member 6 being received in (the nularv recess 14.

, The cylindrical, main gas outlet 1 ,atithe lower end and isclofsed at: the upper-end by the said end wall "7 which is provided-witha central openin 8 beveled --at the vupper portion at 9 and receiving a beveled marginal I flange .19 of a an auxiliary gas outlet rnemberigllnwhich tele form of outlet aperture may be 'employed forthe scopesinto the main gas outlet member. The gas outlet members constitute telescoping nozup the main gas outlet mernber and{openthe zleswhich are adapted to be projected successively beyond the upper end of the housing by'the means hereinafter described. The main gas outlet member is provided in its sidesadjacent its outer end with apertures 12 Iorthe'discharge of erably consisting of verticalsl'ots, 'but any other discharge of gas from the device.

The cylindrical telescoping auxiliary outlet memberis exteriorly threaded atits inner end'l i;

to-receive athreadedstop collar or nut 15 which is adaptedto-abut against the 'lower'face'oi the endwall "lot the main'gas outlet member, as clearly illustrated in'Eig. 2 of the. drawings. "This limits the outward movement. of the auxiliary outlet member, 11v and enables themechanis'mior projecting the gas outlet members to firstfop'en the auxiliary gas outlet member and then-pick same.

The beveled flange L10 0: the auxiliary outlet -member presents aniinclined lower; edge or face which is adapted to'diffuse' gas issuir' g from the outlet apertures 13 ,for affecting personsyimm'edi ately surrounding the gas outlet device and thereby prevent any attempt of.su c h; 'persons from interfe'ring withtheoperation of the device. The

gas. outlet membersform, a closure-for the" upper endof the housing'and the gas'outlet device presents a closed upper exterior surfaceiand the weight of: theparts is such as'to effectually prevent any attempt of unauthorizedipersons obtaining access to the interior of thegasfoutlet-device I e [and injuring the same.

The .auxiliary'outletfmember' is provided with I a central threaded opening 16 which receives a reduced threaded end. I'eifof ija verticaljpiston rod :17 and thelatter extends downwardly through I a central opening "18 in the lower end wall 2 'of thehousing. Thelower end wall 2"'of--the hous ing ispreferablyprovided with an annular flange or enlargement 19 surrounding, the central openihg ldand forming a bearing or guide for the vertically movable piston rod 1'7. '.,T 'he lower end 55.. ofthe piston rodj lflis equipped with a piston head comprising upper and lower metal plates 20 and '21 and. a plurality of intermediate plates 22 and .273 of leather and metal respectively.

' ,T [e plates'20, 21, 221and 23 consist of disks and plates 22 and 23 are alternately arranged sothat the leather disks are supported at each 'faceby v a" metal disk Any other suitable construction of i ,jplstonhead may be employed and the piston rod is :providedabove the piston head with a stop collar ,24-secu'red to'the' pi'ston rod by a pin 25.

Any other ,formof stop collar orshoulder may be provided for thepisto nfrod and the piston head is held against the stop collar 24 by afnut 26* arranged on'the lower threaded" end 2T of. thepiston rod and locked againstretrogradelro- ,ta'tion by a cotte'rjpin' 28 or other suitable means. 1 The piston head of the pistonfiormed byfthe said head and the rod l'loperates'withina' cylinder2 9 disposed vertically -below-and "depending I from the lowerendor the casing 1 and having '"anopenupper endand a closed lower :end'or end other (suitable fastening,'means.

'fromthe 'gas'outlet device. r

3 The pper end of the cylinder 29 which. is closed by the end wall 2 of the casing when the parts are assembled is provided at the upper end with an outwardly extending. horizontalane nular attaching flange 31 which is bolted to-the lower end of the casing. The bolts 32 pierce'th'e attaching flange 31, and arejthreaded into suitable sockets 33 in the lower end of the housing 1, as clearly'illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The housing 1 is provided at. an intermediate point between its upp'erand lower ends with an interior annular shoulder 34,forming a seat for a gas diffusing plate 35 which constitutesaparlower portion offthe housing. 1

The housing is provided adjacent the seat with a. plurality of inwardly projecting lugs 37 to tition and forms a mixing chamber 36 of the which the plate 35 is'secured by screws 38 or The plate 35 is provided withrelativelysmall perforations 39 and thehou'sing is provided at one side" of'the mixing chamber 36 with 'an inlet opening 40 in which issecureda threaded end 41 of a pipe. 42 connected withIa-pump'43 for forcing a special gas or ammonia into themixing' chamber which is also provided with anxinletaopening '44, to I which an air 'pipe 451s connected for supplying afcerta'in amount of air to the gas for insuring a diffusion of 'the'gas discharged from the gas out-- let device-so that ga'swillispread' over the'desired area to thedesired height to insure a full efie'ct of the gas discharged from the device. In prac-- tice, a. special gas consisting of tear: gasandzan anaesthetic will preferably-be employedso. that when the gas is dischargedit will affect the 'eyes of any personsurrounding.agasoutlet andrender them helpless and will then .anissthetize the persons, After such personsjhava been 'completely overcome by the gas thefroomor other v place in which the gas outlet device" is installed may be cleared by discharging ammonia through the gas outlet devicetoneutralize the'special gas a which is an acid gas. 1 1

'In Fig, 10f the drawingslthepuinp 43 and-gas 'andam'monia tanks 46 and-Mare diagrammatically shown. 1 Pipe connections 48 I and 49 leading'from; the tanks 46 and i'ltothe inlet pipe 50'of the pump 43 are designed to be'pr'ovided'with valves 51 'and'52 which in practice will have remote control sothat when the pump which is also designed to have a remote control is operated, either the special gasor ammonia may be .de livered to the mixing chamber'36 under the .del sired pressure. V a

An 'air line 53 which is diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 1: of the drawings is designedtobe connected with an air compressor or other suitable source of compressed air for supplying the desired proportion of air to themixing "chamber 36 so that mixedair and 'gas willbeidischarged An oil line 54 from an oil shown) or other meansfor supplying oilunder pressure; 'isconnecte'd withthe lower endo'r'ithe "cylinder 29 for introducing oil under pressure into the cylinder for forcing the piston upwardly'to-M successively open the gas outlet members, but

while oil is preferable for operatingthe piston, any a other suitable fluid pressure medium ;may, of.

course, be employed;

The gas outlet device ed forruse in prisons may, of: course, be',advanpressure tank whileipaiticularly adani'- a tageously employed invariousj, other places at.

any location where unauthorized gatheringsaptf to lead to violence is liabletoo'ccur. Whenfthe gas outlet device is closedit presents a solid imperforate upper exterior surface which will prevent access to the interior of the device. Also the auxiliary gas outlet member is relatively small the operation of the device.

When the auxiliary outlet member is projected upwardly to its open position sufficient gas will be discharged to render helpless any personsin the immediate vicinity of the gas outlet device and the main gas outlet may then be opened to effect a maximum discharge of the gas. The fiuidpressure means for projecting the gas outlet members controls the discharge of the gas and the gas outlet members may be opened as slowly or as quickly as desired. When the oil pressure is released and the piston relieved thereof the Weight of the gas outlet members and the piston will return the parts to their normal closed position and the cylinder 29 is providedat the upper end adjacent the marginal flange 31 with a vent opening 55 to permit the air in the cylinder above the piston head to escape when the piston head is raised and to permit air to enter theupper portion of the cylinder when the piston head descends by gravity to its normal position. a

The cylinder is provided near its lower end with an interiorly arranged shoulder 56 forming a seat for the piston head when the latter is at the limit of its downward movement.

What is claimed is:

1. A gas outlet device including a housing open at the outer end and closed atthe inner end and.

provided at a point intermediate its ends with a gas diffusion partition forming with the inner portion of the housing a mixing chamber for mixing air and a gas containing an anesthetic, separate means for introducing air and the said gas under pressure into the mixing chamber, means normally forming a closure for the open end of the housgas difiusion partition forming with the inner portion of the housing a mixing chamber for mix- I ing'air and a gas containing an anaesthetic, separate means for introducing air and the said gas under pressure into the mixing chamber, means for cutting off the flow of the said gas and means chamberfor restoring the atmosphere surround for introducing a neutralizing gas into the mixing v ing the outer end of the housing tonormal condition, means normallyforming a closure for the open end of .the housing for controlling the discharge of the mixed air and gas from the housing, and means for operating the closure means.

3. A gas outlet device including a housing open at the outer end and closed at the inner end and provided at a point intermediate its ends witha gas diffusion partition forming with the inner portion of the housing a mixing chamber for mixing ,air and a gas containing an anaesthetic, sep-v arate means forintroducing air and the said gas 1 under pressure into the mixing chamber, means for cutting oiT the flow of the said gas and means} 1 I for introducing a neutralizing gas into the mix- 1 ing chamber for restoring the atmosphere surrounding the outer end of the housing to normal condition, a main gas outletmember telescoping into the outer end of the housing and having spaced outlets atthe outer portion, a n auxiliary forming a closure for the outerend of the hous gas outlet member telescoping into the outer'end ing, a removable collar threaded on the inner end ating the same when the auxiliary outlet member has moved outward a predetermined distance, a cylinder detachably secured to the inner end of the housing, and a fluid pressure actuated piston operating in thecylinder and having a piston rod extending through the inner end of the housing and through the mixing chamber and the gas diffusing partition and connected with the auxiliary gas outlet member for actuating the said members to permitthe discharge of the mixed air and gas.

4 A gas outlet device including a housing open at the outer end and closed at the inner end and provided at a point intermediate its ends with an interior shoulder, a perforated difiusion plate se-'- cured to the housingat the said shoulder and themixing chamber, means normally forming a closure for the outer end of thehousing for con trolling the discharge of the mixed air and gas. from the housing, and means for operating the closuremeans.

RAYMOND L. CLARK. 

